The invention relates to an ornamental grille for a motor vehicle front part.
Ornamental grilles are also referred to as radiator grilles and generally serve for the covering of an inlet port on the motor vehicle front part, behind which inlet port the engine radiator is arranged, at least in the case of motor vehicles with a front engine and a water cooling system. In this case, one-piece or, however, also multi-piece ornamental grilles are used, which are then, for example, arranged around a badge and fixed on a corresponding holding frame.
An ornamental grille for motor vehicles arises from DE 40 01 447 C1 which is to be arranged in the front region of the motor vehicle and has longitudinal and transverse slats arranged in a grid-like manner, which are formed in such a way that the airstream flowing through is directed in a desired manner and partially desired pressure ratios in the air flow appear.
The object of the present invention is to create an alternative ornamental grille for a motor vehicle front part which can be produced in a simple and cost-effective manner.
The ornamental grille has a plurality of ornamental elements which each comprise an ornamental element end wall and an ornamental element side wall protruding from this. The ornamental elements are kept at a distance from one another by means of connecting elements, via which adjacent ornamental elements are connected to one another respectively. Here, the ornamental elements are arranged in rows, wherein the ornamental elements of one row are laterally offset from the ornamental elements of the adjacently arranged row of ornamental elements.
In an advantageous exemplary embodiment of the ornamental grille, it is provided that the ornamental elements have a trough-shaped basic contour, which is preferably rounded, meaning that the ornamental elements do not have any angular or sharp corners. By means of such an embodiment—as seen in a top view of the ornamental element end wall—the contour of a rod can be produced for the respective ornamental element.
According to one development of the ornamental grille, it is provided that the respective ornamental element has a respective, trough-like, circumferential ornamental element side wall which—according to one advantageous exemplary embodiment—is partially provided with an opening, a cut-out or similar open region. By means of this partially open formation of the respective ornamental element side wall, larger cores for corresponding molds can be used, in particular, which ensure a more simple mold temperature control and additionally enable the individual ornamental elements to be arranged at a shorter distance from one another. This enables the production of ornamental grilles with a filigree effect. Furthermore, the ornamental elements themselves can be sized to be smaller, since the respective cores for the formation of the associated ornamental elements no longer have to be restricted to the interior of this, but rather can be designed to be larger as a result of the open region within the respective ornamental element side wall. Furthermore, the number of cores can be reduced due to the open regions of the ornamental element side walls.
In a further embodiment of the invention, it has thereby been shown to be advantageous that the respective open region of the ornamental elements is provided in a longitudinal side of the allocated ornamental element side wall. Preferably, as seen in a top view of the ornamental element end wall, the open region is provided on the lower longitudinal side such that this is practically not recognizable by an observer of the installed ornamental grille and therefore the visual impression of the ornamental grille is not influenced in an undesired manner.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the connecting elements are connected to the longitudinal sides of the allocated ornamental element side walls, wherein the associated open region is provided, within the respective longitudinal side, between the respective connecting elements. As a result of this, cores in the respective mold for the production of the ornamental grille can be created, the cores enabling particularly small spacing between the respective ornamental elements.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the open region extends up to the ornamental element end wall within the associated longitudinal side of the ornamental element side wall. In other words, the open region is designed according to the invention in such a way that, between this and the end wall, a wall region of the side wall is no longer present. As a result, an L-shaped cross section of the ornamental element results, which can be produced particularly simply by means of a core.
It is furthermore advantageous if the open region is provided in a respective lower longitudinal side of the ornamental element side wall. These open regions are therefore not recognizable by a person viewing the motor vehicle front part from the front.
A further advantageous embodiment provides that the ornamental elements are arranged to be offset from one another in a wall-like manner and are spaced apart from one another by means of the connecting elements. In particular, the air intake is thereby not negatively influenced and only a slightly larger degree of obstruction results.
A further advantageous embodiment provides that the open regions within the respective ornamental element side walls are formed as at least substantially trapezoidal recesses. A particularly favorable demolding of the ornamental grille therefore results after the production thereof.
Finally, it has been shown to be advantageous if, in a further embodiment of the invention, respective end faces of the connecting bridges and of the ornamental element side walls are arranged in a common plane. In this case, a particularly favorable mold separation and therefore production of the ornamental grille can be achieved.
A preferred exemplary embodiment of the ornamental grille is illustrated in greater detail below with the aid of the drawings.